News
600 public hospitals paralysed, thousands of patients suffer
View(s):Public health services were paralysed yesterday as nurses continued their strike and doctors accused them of hiding drugs to impose further hardships on patients.
More than 600 public hospitals are affected by the strike where nurses are demanding midwife training for themselves though doctors are opposed to it.Nurses kept away from their duties yesterday with no solution in sight for the dispute between nurses and midwives while tens of thousands of poor patients suffered without treatment.
Nightingale, where art thou? With tens of thousands of poor patients suffering due to a prolonged strike by nurses, these doctors at the National Hospital are seen doing the work of nurses to ease the pain of the patients. Pic by Amila Praboda
The strike was aggravated yesterday after nurses allegedly took away keys of lockers which contained medicinal drugs and medical files of patients.
Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena yesterday appealed to the nurses to end the strike because thousands of patients were suffering. ”We have offered a fair solution to the nurses and the midwives. We request them to report to work immediately because the lives of patients are more important than their demands,” he told a news conference at the Health Ministry.
But, the nurses unions insisted that they would continue the strike until an acceptable solution was found. Government Nursing Officers’ Association (GNOA) President Saman Rathnapriya said all nurses were on strike except those in emergency services. He denied allegations that nurses have left with the keys of lockers containing medicinal drugs and medical files of patients.
But Dr. Chandika Epitakaduwa, a spokesman for the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), said that doctors had to break open the lockers to obtain medicines. “There are instances where the names of the medicines have been changed and equipment needed for surgery has been locked up,” he charged.
Doctors in several hospitals, including the National Hospital, were seen performing nursing duties such as giving injections.
Kurunegala Hospital Director Dr. Palitha M. Yapa said it was a difficult situation as some 1,200 nurses had kept away from work and doctors were performing the duties of the nurses in this hospital where people injured in the Pothuhera train collision were being treated. Minister Sirisena on Friday held talks with officials of the Government Nursing Officers’ Association (GNOA), the Government Midwifery Service Association (GMSA), the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) and the Obstetrics and Gynecologists Association along with other health authorities, but failed to reach a settlement.
The Sri Lanka Public Service United Nurses’ Union (PSUNU), which had proposed that midwifery training be given to nurses, kept away from the talks.
Last August, following a request by the PSUNU President, Ven. Muruttetuwe Ananda Thera claimed the Minister of Health had given approval for midwifery training for all student nurses. But Ministry Secretary Nihal Jayathilaka said the midwifery training was being given without ministry approval. The midwives union has also strongly objected to nurses being given training in midwifery.